I Tried a TikTok Beauty Trend… But It Destroyed My Face
- Regina Quaye, 24, from Ghana developed acne after shaving her face
A woman claims she destroyed her face by trying a seemingly harmless TikTok beauty trend.
Regina Quaye, from Ghana, resorted to DIY dermaplaning in November to get rid of her peach fuzz.
The procedure is similar to shaving, although an exfoliating blade is used to slowly remove dead skin cells from the face and hair. It gained huge popularity on social media in 2019.
Three days after trying to get rid of her facial hair, the 24-year-old developed acne breakouts and became sore and swollen.
Miss Quaye, who herself has 37,000 TikTok followers, decided to go to the hospital as a precaution.
Regina Quaye, from Ghana, tried to remove baby hair from her face in November by dry shaving off the peach fuzz with a facial razor. A nightmare followed three days later when the 24-year-old’s face broke out in acne and became sore and swollen.
Miss Quaye has shared her face shaving experience on TikTok, showing off her skin before and after
Doctors prescribed her hydrocortisone cream to soothe her skin and her skin eventually returned to normal.
She shared her experience on TikTok, showing off dramatic before and after photos.
“I had one try in 2021 and broke out,” Miss Quaye said.
“But I thought it was the new skin care products I was using at the time.”
She discussed her latest experience, adding, “My skin started flaring three days after I shaved.
“I experienced a terrible breakout to the extent that my face became swollen.”
However, she claims that her skin is now acne-prone and very oily, which means she can only use oil-free skin care products.
Still, experts insist that the procedure itself cannot cause acne.
Instead, it can cause flare-ups in people who already suffer from breakouts. This is because shaving over “active acne” can spread acne-causing bacteria and make it worse.
Famous beauties such as Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, and Cleopatra would all shave their faces as part of their routine.
However, skin experts say that fine “vellus” hair on the face is “absolutely normal” and that dermaplaning — also known as microplaning or blading — should only be done by a professional.
And in some cases, dermatologists say hair can grow back worse and what might be considered mild facial hair can grow back thicker.
Doctors prescribed her hydrocortisone cream to soothe her skin, and her skin eventually returned to normal (pictured are her before and after photos of her skin)
Dermaplaning, or full face shaving, hugely popular at home on TikTok and YouTube in 2019 (file photo)
Other risks include infection from unsterile razors and physical injury to the skin, and photosensitivity leading to sunburn from physical exfoliation.
Dr. Mary Sommerlad, consultant dermatologist and spokesperson for the British Skin Foundation, said: ‘At-home dermaplaning has become increasingly popular in recent years.
“While social media often shows positive results, as a dermatologist I would be very wary of this type of at-home procedure.
Dermaplaning is also not suitable for people with inflammatory skin conditions such as acne or eczema.
“It’s also worth remembering that many of the perceived benefits of dermaplaning can be achieved in less risky ways, such as following a consistent skincare routine that’s tailored to your skin’s needs.”